Big Shortage of 5G iPhone 12 Phones Predicted
Posted by BestBuyPhones .com on
Only 4-5 million units with faster (but shorter-range) millimeter-wave version of 5G will be produced this year, according to Ming-Chi Kuo
The latest rumors say that all four models of the upcoming iPhone 12 are expected to support 5G tech, and this will be the main new feature of the autumn launch 2020. However, only some of the phones will support the millimeter wave, which is the super-fast version of 5G. This has a much shorter range - similar to Wi-Fi than regular mobile networks - but with the highest speeds.
So the latest suggestion in a new investor report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests only a relatively low number of iPhones will be produced with millimeter-wave: It is estimated between 4 and 5 million in 2020. There is expected to be 25-55 million produced in 2021, though.
This reduction is partly due to the issue that millimeter-wave has such low distribution. Also, the launch of new 5G networks has been slowed considerably by the COVID19 pandemic. In the last few years, Apple has produced less and less different versions of the iPhone for different markets around the world, as modems have been newly released that cover more 4G frequency. With the ongoing introduction of 5G, there may be a return to increased model range for different markets.
In addition to offering faster speed and shorter range, millimeter-wave 5G is a lot more expensive to manufacture. It's been reported that it will bump up unit prices by around $130, compared to $85 for the sub-6GHz version. The new iPhone 12 is expected to launch around October 2020.
If you are looking for more Apple phone cases and product reviews then check out the below further reading.